Me And Emily
by Ghostwriter
Summary: Jamie knows more about responsibility than he's ever let on.
1. Well Kept Secret

ME AND EMILY

DISCLAIMER

Takes place after Time's Up. Inspired by the Rachel Proctor song. In A Heartbeat belongs to Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize. I'm not sure of Alex's last name, so I made something up.

BRRRRRIIIIIING! As soon as the last bell started, Jamie Waite jumped out of his seat and dashed out the door.

"Whoa. What's up with him?" Hank Beecham wondered.

"Beats me. We didn't get paged," Tyler Connell commented. The two walked out. along the way, they met up with their friends Val Lanier and Catie Roth.

"Hey, guys," Val greeted.

"Hey," Tyler and Hank chorused.

"Where's Jamie?" Catie wondered.

"Don't know. He just bolted as soon as the bell rang," Tyler answered.

"That's weird," Val mused. Meanwhile, Jamie was making his way over to Kingsport Elementary School. When he arrived, he parked his motorcycle into the first available space he saw and headed for the school. When he reached the classroom, he knocked on the door, which was opened shortly.

"Am I late, early--?" he began to ask.

"You're right on time, Jamie," the woman assured.

"Emily! Let's go, kiddo!" Jamie called.

"Jamie!" a voice shouted. An eight-year old with dark hair and hazel eyes like Jamie's jumped up and ran to him. They hugged briefly.

"You wanna get your stuff?" Jamie questioned.

"Okay," Emily agreed, and then went to do so. He helped her pack her things away and then pulled out a pint-sized helmet and strapped it onto the girl and helped her up. Then, they headed out. A few minutes later, they reached their destination: a small, modest white house with blue trim. Jamie slowly pulled into the driveway and cut the engine.

"Is Cal coming over?" Emily questioned as her older brother unlocked the door.

"I don't know, Em," Jamie answered with a soft smile. Officer Calvin Richardson, or Cal as he preferred to be called, often looked in on them. The two walked into the house, and put their backpacks on their respective chairs. Just then, Jamie felt an insistent buzzing from inside his pocket. _Aw, man! Not now!_ he thought. He couldn't leave Emily! The buzzing came again. With a groan, Jamie went to the phone and dialed a number as Emily got some papers and crayons out of a drawer, put them on the table, sat down, and began coloring. He was connected almost immediately.

"Jamie, why haven't you answered your page?" Alex Freeman demanded.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I can't make it," Jamie apologized.

"Jamie, you know the responsibility of being an EMT--" Alex began to reproach.

"Yeah, I know. But, Alex, I **can**'**t**!" Jamie interrupted. Emily looked up at the sharp tone. "Because I can't! No, I'm not gonna tell you why!" he continued. The boy blew out a breath. "Look, Alex, I'm sorry, I really am, but I have responsibilities at home, and I can't get away," he stated. Then, he hung up.

"Jamie, did I get you in trouble?" Emily questioned.

"No. Everything's fine, kiddo," Jamie assured, sitting in the chair in front of her.

"But you were yelling at your boss," Emily said.

"It's not your fault. The squad just got a call, but I couldn't go because I couldn't go because I can't leave you alone," Jamie answered.

"You wouldn't have this problem if we were a normal family," Emily commented. Jamie sighed and knelt on the floor so that he was eye-level with his sister.

"Listen to me, kiddo. We **are** a normal family. Just because we don't have a mom and dad, it doesn't mean we're not like everybody else," he said.

"Where is our Mommy and Daddy? Don't we have one?" Emily wondered.

"Em, you know Mommy died when you were very young. I've told you that," Jamie answered.

"What about our Daddy? We have one, don't we?" Emily prodded. Jamie's throat muscles constricted.

"Yeah, Em. We got a dad," he answered.

"Why isn't he here? Doesn't he love us?" Emily asked. The lump in his throat got tighter and he had to duck his head before she could see his tears. He blinked them back and then looked up.

"**I** love you. That's all you gotta know, kiddo. **I** love you," he assured her. Then, he drew into a hug. He stared into space, his eyes holding untold pain.


	2. Visit And News

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney. I only own the plot. Reference to "A Night To Remember".

Hours later, Tyler, Val, and Hank walked back into the station.

"We really could've used Jamie," Tyler stated bitterly.

"Yeah, I wonder why he wasn't there. I hope he's okay," Val commented.

"You ask me, he just decided to play hooky again, just like on Halloween," Tyler continued.

"Hey, come on, man. That's not fair," Hank objected.

"You're saying Jamie didn't even show?" Brooke Lanier asked.

"Exactly," Tyler confirmed.

"But why?" Brooke wondered. The twelve-year old was the squad's organizer and took care of most, if not all, of the inventory.

"That's what **I**'**d** like to know," a voice announced. They turned around to see Alex. "He knows this kind of behavior is unacceptable and that I won't tolerate it," he continued.

"There **has** to be a good reason," Val insisted.

"If there **is**, I'd sure like to know what," Tyler stated.

"As soon as you guys finish up your reports, you can go," Alex told them.

"Thanks, they chorused, and then set out to work on their tasks. Meanwhile, Jamie was in the process of getting Emily into her pajamas and ready for bed when he heard a knock on the door.

"Hold on, Em," Jamie said. He walked to the front door. "Who is it?" he asked.

"Me," came the reply. Jamie opened the door to reveal Cal.

"Hey. I was just about to put Em to bed, but she's been dying to see you," he told the officer.

"Well, I'd hate to keep her waiting," the man grinned, stepping through the threshold. The two walked toward the bedroom.

"Em, you got a visitor!" Jamie called. When Emily saw the man she gave a light bounce on the bed.

"Cal!" she exclaimed happily.

"Hey, kid, how you doin'?" the man questioned.

"I'm good. I miss you," Emily answered.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, kid. Work's been a bear," Cal told. He then kissed the top of her head and bid her goodnight. Emily snuggled into the blankets and Jamie tucked her in.

"Jamie, can I talk to you?" Cal requested.

"Sure," Jamie agreed. He walked to the doorway, turned out the light, and then followed Cal into the living room.

"What's going on?" Jamie wondered.

"Jamie, your evaluation's been changed to next week," Cal told him.

"What? It was supposed to be at the end of the month," Jamie reminded him.

"I know, but the courts decided that next week would be more beneficial," Cal answered.

"To who?" Jamie scoffed.

"I know you know how important this is," Cal stated.

"Cal, I had to skip a call today because I had just gotten home and I didn't want to leave Emily so soon again. I don't want that messing anything up," Jamie said.

"I'll see what I can do," Cal stated. Then, "I'm sorry to spring this on you. If I could do something, I would, but--" he started to apologize.

"It's okay," Jamie interrupted.

"I gotta go. I'll see you later, all right?" Cal questioned. Jamie nodded, and the officer left the abode. Jamie went to the door and locked it. Then, he leaned against it and raked his hair with his fingers. What was he going to do? There was no way he could be ready to a social worker's satisfaction by next week. He sighed and slumped his shoulders.


	3. Evaluative Bad News

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Random-insights: Thanks. Glad you like. Me neither, but I don't think so.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to the Disney Channel and anybody else affiliated with the show. Based off the Rachel Proctor song of the same name. Since Emily's eight, I figured she'd be in second grade. I'm not quite sure how evaluations like this would work, so I'm just gonna do my best, and I apologize in advance for any inconsistencies or if I'm wrong.

The next morning, Jamie woke up to the sound of hard rock. With a groan, he shut off the alarm, got up, and quickly got dressed. Then, he went into Emily's room shook the girl awake. She moaned, and pulled away.

"Five more minutes," she pleaded.

"Sorry, kiddo. You gotta get up," he told her. Emily let out another groan, but did as she was told and went to her dresser, and pulled out an outfit. Satisfied, Jamie went to get breakfast ready. As he did so, his eyes clouded. What was he going to do? Then, he blew out a breath. It was simple. He'd prepare, make sure everything was satisfactory enough for the social worker, simple as that._ Sometimes I wish I had a little more help. Sometimes I wish dad_--Jamie shook his head. He was crazy! He shouldn't be wishing things like that. He and Emily were **much** better off by themselves. They didn't need **that man** in their lives. By time Emily came down, breakfast was ready. They sat down and ate. After breakfast, the two washed up and then grabbed their backpacks and headed for the driveway. Jamie helped Emily with her helmet, and then put on his own. After that, he helped her up and then drove off towards Kingston High. After parking, he grabbed his backpack and walked in. Throughout the day, Tyler, Val, Hank, and Catie noticed that their friend looked distracted. After the first few periods, the foursome cornered him.

"Jamie, are you okay? You seem a bit--preoccupied," Val noted.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jamie replied. "I've just got some stuff on my mind," he told them.

"Are you sure?" Val checked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks, Val," Jamie answered with a soft smile. Then, the warning bell rang and they all went to their classes. Though not usually attentive, Jamie had to work especially hard to keep his mind focused. At the end of the day, he went to work with the squad. Jamie's attitude remained the same throughout the week.

"Jamie, what's wrong?" Emily asked at one point. The question came when he had been helping her with her homework.

"Well, kiddo, you know how that woman, Miss Akron, comes by once a month and checks on us--you know, makes sure I can take care of you?" Jamie questioned.

"Yeah, I don't like her. She's so fussy," Emily answered. The boy had to fight back a smile at the description of the woman. She **was** a bit uptight.

"Yeah, well, instead of being at the end of the month, our check up's this next week. It's coming up pretty fast," Jamie told her.

"So, I guess you're pretty nervous, huh?" the girl questioned.

"Yeah. I mean, I **did** skip out on my work once," he stated.

"'Cause you were taking care of me. That should count for something," she pointed out.

"We'll see, kiddo. We'll see," he said.

"Don't worry, Jamie. Everything will work out," Emily proclaimed. Jamie laughed softly and hugged her. Aw, such faith. He couldn't believe how much faith his little sister had in him. A few days later--the day of the evaluation--Jamie tried to make everything business as usual, but he couldn't mask his nervousness.

"Jamie, are you okay? You keep fidgeting," Val noted.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Today's just kinda important," Jamie answered.

"Really? How come?" Val asked.

"You--you wouldn't understand," Jamie said.

"What, are you taking one of the EMT exams?" Val queried.

"No," Jamie answered shortly.

"Then, what is it? You look so nervous," Val commented.

"Val, could you--not press this? I don't mean to be rude, I just--I don't feel like going into it," Jamie said.

"Okay. Yeah, sure," Val agreed. "But, you know, if you ever need to talk…" though her sentence trailed off, the boy knew exactly what she meant.

"Point taken and appreciated," Jamie stated, giving Val a small smile. "Hey, will you do me a favor though?" he queried.

"Yeah, sure. What is it?" Val asked.

"Could you--tell Alex that I'll most likely be late to work, though I'm **definitely** gonna try to be there," Jamie said.

"Yeah, sure," Val agreed. The bell rang and they went their separate ways. After school, Jamie hurried to the middle school, picked up Emily, and then went home. He arrived just as a light blue sedan did. Jamie tensed, got off the bike, and then helped Emily down. He helped the girl with her helmet as the car door opened.

"Jamison, Emily," Regina Akron acknowledged. The woman was in her forties, dressed in a no-nonsense manner, and acted the same way.

"Ms. Akron," Jamie said pleasantly, trying to hide his unease. Though he knew he had no reason for it, he always became tense at the evaluations. He guided his sister towards the door, and after unlocking the door, ushered them in. Once inside, the woman began her inspection. Jamie and Emily stood nervously as the woman looked around. As she did so, Jamie's mind went back. _**Jamie stood nervously as his father looked around the room with a critical eye. The man ran a finger along a table. His eyes darkened.**_

"_**Dust**__**," he growled, holding his finger up for his son to see. Jamie's breath caught in his throat.**_

"Jamie?" Ms. Akron questioned. The boy jumped.

"I--I'm sorry. Wha--what'd you say?" he stammered. The woman's face softened slightly.

"Relax, Jamie. You know by now that I'm merely looking for reasonable living conditions, well-furnished cabinets, and a regular report on your EMT job," she reminded him, as she walked through the house, doing just that.

"Uh, a--about that--I--I **did** miss one day, and--" Jamie began to say.

"Officer Richardson told me all about that," Ms. Akron interrupted. "It's all right. I can understand your reasoning," she assured him. When she was finally done, they all sat at the kitchen table.

"Everything looks good, Jamie. You're doing a fine job," the woman told him.

"Thank you, Ms. Akron," Jamie replied.

"Uh, Jamie, there **is** something I need to discuss with you," Ms. Akron stated.

"Uh…Em, you mind playing in your room for a little bit?" Jamie requested.

"Okay," Emily agreed, and then went off to do so.

"What's going on, Ms. Akron?" Jamie questioned.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news, Jamie. Officer Richardson wanted to tell you himself, but I proposed that I do it since I was coming here today anyway," Ms. Akron told him.

"Is this why my evaluation got moved up?" Jamie asked.

"Yes. I figured you should know sooner rather than later," the woman said.

"What? What is it?" he questioned. The woman blew out a breath.

"Jamie, your father was recently released," she told him.

"Wh--what?" he stammered. He tried to speak, but the words refused to come. He felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Their--their father was out?

"And he's also petitioned the courts to regain custody of you and Emily," the woman told him. Jamie tried to speak, but again no sound came out. His throat muscles constricted and the sinking feeling in his stomach tightened. Ms. Akron looked at Jamie's face, which had turned a pasty white.

"Jamie?" Ms. Akron questioned. He once again tried to speak, but once again, remained speechless. "Jamie?" Ms. Akron asked again. Jamie gave speaking a fourth try and managed to let out a small whimper. "Jamie?" Mrs. Akron prodded.

"No," Jamie whispered in a frightened voice with a shake of his head.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This wasn't my original plan for the fic, but I think it'll work out just fine.


	4. Protective Measures

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney and anything else affiliated with the show. In order to avoid writing it every single time, whenever Jamie uses his bike, he **always** wears a helmet, especially if Emily's on the bike.

"Jamison?" Ms. Akron questioned, reverting back to her usual tone. Jamie inhaled and exhaled shakily. "Jamison?" she asked again.

"No," he echoed. "No! They can't do that! Not after--they can't!" he shouted, finally finding his voice again. Once again, the woman's tone became softer and more informal.

"Jamie, I'm sorry. I just figured you'd want to hear it from one of us, and as soon as possible," she stated. He nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's appreciated," he told her. In her room, Emily was playing with her toys. Suddenly, she heard a muffled shout. Curious, she opened the door. "They can't do that! Not after--they can't!" she heard her brother yell. Her brows furrowed in confusion as the voices lowered once more. What was going on? Why had Jamie yelled? From the hall, she saw her brother and their social worker talking. She walked softly, trying to get closer to hear. However, before she reached them, they stood up. The woman said something and the two shook hands and she left.

"Jamie? Is something wrong?" Emily questioned.

"No. Nothing's wrong, kiddo," Jamie lied. Emily didn't look convinced, but before she could press it, his pager went off. He let out an exasperated sigh and looked at the number.

"Come on, kiddo. I gotta take you with me," Jamie stated.

"But won't you get into trouble?" Emily questioned.

"If I do, oh, well," Jamie responded. He led her to the driveway and they got into the bike and drove off. At the station, Brooke and Alex were doing inventory.

"6 cases of blood packs?" Alex queried.

"Check," Brooke told him.

"Good. At least **something**'**s** going right this week," Alex muttered.

"Are you still mad at Jamie?" Brooke questioned. Neither of them heard the engine coming up.

"Yes, I'm still mad at Jamie. And why shouldn't I be? He's been nothing but irresponsible this week," Alex answered, not hearing the door open.

"I don't like you. You're mean," a small voice said. They turned around to see Jamie and a little girl.

"Emily, that's not nice. You apologize," Jamie scolded.

"I'm sorry," Emily apologized.

"Jamie, what is this?" Alex demanded.

"My little sister, Emily. I couldn't leave her alone," Jamie replied.

"So you brought her here?" Alex asked bitingly.

"What was I supposed to do? I couldn't bail on you guys again!" Jamie shouted.

"Then you get a baby-sitter. You don't bring a child here," Alex chided.

"And risk having her get snatched?" Jamie asked, holding Emily close to him protectively. "Unh-uh," he said, shaking his head. It was to this scene that the others walked in.

"What's going on?" Val wondered.

"Jamie brought in his younger sister," Brooke told them.

"Why?" Hank wondered.

"Because it's safer this way," Jamie replied.

"What?" Tyler asked. Before Jamie could answer his question, an alarm went off.

"What's that?" Emily wondered.

"You guys gotta go," Alex told them.

"Brooke, I know that this is **totally** not in your job description, but could you watch Emily?" Jamie requested.

"Uh…yeah. Sure," Brooke agreed. Jamie looked at Emily.

"I want you to be good for her, all right?" he queried.

"Okay," the young girl agreed. Then, they went off. What no one knew was that a man had bought an apartment in town. His name was Charles Waite.

"So, you have family close by?" the landlord questioned.

"Yeah. I do," Charles answered. "But we haven't seen each other for a while," he continued.

"Oh, that's too bad," the man said.

"Yeah, it is," Charles agreed. They finished their transaction. Then, the landlord walked out and Charles pulled out a folder, dumped out a bunch of photos, and then spread them over a table. In each of the photos was a boy with dark hair and dark eyes. In some of the photos, he was accompanied by a small girl. Charles' eyes darkened.

"Oh. Are **you** gonna get it, boy," he snarled.


	5. Bad Memories

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Random-insights: Thanks.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney and anyone/anything else affiliated with the show.

After numerous calls, the squad finally came back to the station.

"Oh, shoot. Emily's probably starving," Jamie commented, looking at his watch.

"Hey, no worries. I'm sure she understands," Hank stated.

"Doesn't matter. It doesn't speak well of me. Emily's **my** responsibility," Jamie told him.

"Look, I'm sure your parents are grateful for your dedication, but--" Hank began.

"Don't talk to me about my parents," Jamie interrupted.

"Sorry, man," Hank said in surprise. What was up with **him**?

"Jamie! You're back!" Emily called happily.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry, kiddo. I didn't mean to take so long," Jamie apologized.

"I'm hungry. Can we get some dinner?" Emily questioned.

"Yeah, I'll make you somethin' when we get home," Jamie answered. "Come on, let's go," he continued.

"Okay," she agreed, and then ran to the parking lot. When they got home, Jamie immediately started making dinner. As he did so, a memory came back unbidden. _**Jamie sat quietly at the table, eating his dinner, as his father did the same. Suddenly, the man's eyes darkened.**_

_**"You call this warm?" he demanded. Jamie stood up and dashed off.**_ Jamie shook his head, clearing his mind and turning his attention back to making dinner. Within minutes, the meal was done and the two were sitting down. Jamie watched as Emily ate and smiled softly. Man, she was so beautiful. And thankfully, she was too young to remember their father. But now the man was out again. And he probably wanted them back. He couldn't let that happen. No way. Emily was too important. He didn't want her to be tainted. But what could he do?

"Jamie, aren't you hungry?" Emily questioned, breaking into his thoughts.

"Hmm?" Jamie asked.

"You haven't eaten a thing," she noted.

"Hey, who's the grownup here, you or me?" he joked. They laughed. With a sigh, Jamie stood up and put his food in the refrigerator. A few minutes later, Emily also finished her food and put her plate in the sink.

"Okay, Kiddo. Bath time," the teen announced. She whined and he playfully mocked her. Then, she rolled her eyes and did as she was told. After that, Jamie tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. _Please, don't let anything ruin this_, he thought to himself. Then, he went into the kitchen and quickly did the dishes. Afterwards, he got his schoolwork out and put it on the table. He opened his history book and started reading the chapter. Minutes later, he felt his eyes drooping. He jerked himself awake and continued reading. His eyes drooped again, and this time, his upper body fell onto the table. _ Jamie was asleep when he was woken by a heavy tread. He gasped and bolted up right. He looked around._ _What had woken him up? There came another thud and he stood up and looked around._

"_Who's there?" he asked. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and thrown towards the wall. He cried out in pain. He turned around and his eyes widened._

"_Did you __**really**__ think you could keep her away from me?" his father demanded. _ _The man reared back an arm. _With a gasp, Jamie jerked awake.

"Emily," he said in concern. Frantically, he ran to her room and opened the door. His body sagged in relief when he saw that she was still in her bed. "Oh, man. You're losing it, Jamie," he told himself. Then, with a shaky sob, he slid to the ground. He put his hand to his mouth and his shoulders started shaking with silent sobs.


	6. Late Night Scare

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney and anything else affiliated with the show. I only own the plot. I'm not sure where they're supposed to be based, so I'm just going to make up the name of a hospital.

In the wee hours of the morning, Jamie was woken by a thunk. With a grunt, he jerked awake. For a moment, his mind flashed to the nightmare he had had earlier that evening. Was their father here?

"Jamie!" Emily called. Jamie jumped up and hurried towards the bedroom, where he found his sister on the floor.

"What's the matter, kiddo? You have a nightmare and fall out of bed?" he questioned, kneeling beside her bed, and smoothing back her hair. His brow furrowed. "You're burning up," he noted, worried. The girl started to gag and he quickly lifted her up and got her into the bathroom, where she immediately upchucked into the sink. Jamie reached into a cabinet and got a thermometer, which he put into Emily's mouth once she was through vomiting.

"One hundred and one?" he questioned. _ Oh, I gotta get this fever down_, he thought to himself. He grabbed a washcloth, ran some cold water over it, and then wiped his sister's face with it. When her situation didn't get any better after a couple of hours, he lifted the listless girl into his arms and hurried towards the phone, where he dialed a number.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on," he said frantically.

"Hello?" he finally heard a voice ask sleepily.

"Cal, it's Jamie. Emily's really sick and needs a doctor, but I don't think I can drive," Jamie reported.

"I'll be right there," Cal assured, sounding more awake. They hung up. Within minutes, the officer was there and met Jamie at the door.

"Oooh. She doesn't look so good," he noted.

"She's got a fever. I--I couldn't get it to go down," came the response.

"Get her in the car," the man instructed.

"Yes, Sir," Jamie said, and then did as he was told. "You hold on, kiddo. We're gonna get you some help," he assured her as Cal got into the driver's seat. The first thing he did was to call the hospital and tell them what was going on. Then, the man put his portable police lights on the car and quickly drove down the street, sirens blaring. Within minutes, they were at the hospital, where they were met by paramedics.

"Is this the child?" one asked as Jamie helped her out. Normally, that kind of question would've earned the man a smart remark from Jamie, but he just nodded. Jamie started to hand Emily to the man, but she made a gagging sound, so he quickly put her on her knees, where she started to vomit.

"She did this earlier too," he told them as he put a hand on her forehead.

"She feels hotter than before," he noted worriedly. After she was done, he carefully handed his sister to the paramedics, who didn't bother to put her on a stretcher, but merely ran into the halls.

"Let's get her into the emergency room," the head paramedic instructed.

"Should I get a stretcher?" another paramedic asked.

"No, not if she's vomiting. I don't know if that would cause her to choke if she needed to vomit again, and I don't wanna take that chance," came the answer. Then, they hurried into the emergency room. In the hall, Jamie paced.

"How could I miss this? I'm a paramedic," he berated himself.

"Jamie, this is **not** your fault. Sick kids come with the territory. You know that," the officer reminded him.

"I need a phone," the boy announced abruptly.

"There's one around the corner. Here's some change," the officer stated, handing him some coins. The boy went to the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" he heard a grouchy voice ask a few minutes later.

"Catie, it's Jamie," he said.

"Jamie, if you don't have a good reason for calling me at three in the morning, I am going to kick your butt when I wake up again," Catie threatened.

"Catie, I'm really sorry, but my little sister's sick. She's got a really high fever, and I'm at Granger County Hospital and--" Jamie began to say.

"Say no more. I'll call Val and the others, and we'll be right there," Catie told him. The next thing he heard was the dial tone. He hung up and walked back to Cal.

"I called a friend. She and the squad will be here soon," he reported.

"That's good. You really shouldn't be alone," the officer approved. About fifteen minutes later, the doors burst open. Jamie and Cal turned around.

"Jamie!" Val shouted. She and the others ran up to them. "We came as soon as we heard. Is she okay?" she questioned, hugging him briefly, and then pulling back to look at him.

"I--I don't know. They--they still got her in emergency. She--she was so hot--and she was vomiting--" Jamie answered shakily.

"Okay, just take a couple of deep breaths," Alex told him.

"Wait. I called Catie, who I assume called Val, who probably called the others…but how did **you** find out?" Jamie wondered.

"Tyler had gotten permission from his mother and stepfather to help me out tonight since he didn't have school tomorrow," Alex answered. "Now, why don't you take a couple of deep breaths," he instructed again. Jamie did so. "Now, have you called your parents?" the man asked.

"Mom died when Emily was little," Jamie answered.

"What about your father?" Alex queried. Everyone was surprised when their rebel friend tensed.

"He's not in our lives," was his terse answer. Before the others could press him, a doctor came out.

"How is she?" Jamie asked urgently.

"Well, she vomited once after we admitted her, but we managed to get that under control," the doctor told them.

"Oh, thank God," Jamie sighed in relief.

"However, her temperature's shot up to one hundred and three," the doctor told them.

"What?" Jamie gasped.

"We'll have to keep her overnight," the doctor stated.

"But I don't have that kind of money," Jamie protested.

"Don't worry about it, Jamie. I'll help you," Cal told him.

"Who are you?" the doctor questioned.

"Officer Calvin Richardson. I'm also Jamie and Emily's financial guardian," the man introduced himself. "Now, what could be causing Emily's high temperature?" he questioned.

"Honestly, we don't know," the doctor answered. Jamie blew out a breath and rubbed his neck nervously.

"Could the vomiting have been from something she ate?" Val queried.

"It's possible. I mean, we both had the same meal, and I didn't eat very much of it, which would explain why I didn't get sick," Jamie answered. He rubbed his neck again. "Man, my father's right: I **am** an idiot," he continued.

"Jamie," Cal reproached.

"How many times has he told me 'Watch it when you cook, Jamie'?" Jamie continued. The statement was usually followed by a beating, but of course, he wasn't going to mention **that**.

"Jamie, don't act this way," Cal said.

"Now, we don't know for sure if this is a case of food poisoning. It could easily be something else. What, we don't know," the doctor stated.

"I just don't see how I could've missed this," Jamie stated.

"Jamie, you did everything right," the doctor assured him. Jamie huffed and walked to a bathroom. The squad looked at each other. What was going on?

"Jamie's taking this pretty hard," Val commented.

"Yeah. It must be killing him to see his little sister like this," Tyler agreed. Meanwhile, Charles had finally tracked down Jamie's house. He walked up and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he knocked louder. This continued for several minutes, each bang reaching a new decibel. Finally, one of the neighbors opened a window.

"Hey, buddy! You mind?" he asked.

"I'm looking for the kids who live here. I'm their father,"

"Oh, they lit out of here a while ago. I think the little girl was sick," the neighbor told him.

"You know what hospital?" Charles asked.

"I don't. Sorry," the neighbor responded. The man left, and started dialing hospitals with his cell phone. It was half an hour before he found the right hospital. When he did so, he headed out. Hs eyes darkened. He'd make Jamie pay for breaking the rules. He had had to wait all this time, but he knew it would be worth it. Jamie would relearn the rules, he'd see to that. Finally, he was at the hospital. He parked the car and walked in. In the bathroom, Jamie splashed water on his face. He couldn't believe this was happening. How had Emily gotten so sick? How come he hadn't spotted it sooner? He couldn't let anything go wrong. Not with their father petitioning to get them back. After learning Emily's status, Charles continued his search for his children. Feeling composed again, Jamie came out of the bathroom and headed back for Emily's room. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind!

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I know 101's not usually that big of a deal as a temperature, but I figured for an eight-year girl who doesn't weigh all that much, it would probably be different.


	7. Story And Nightmare

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney. I only own the plot.

Jamie started to cry out in surprise, but a hand covered his mouth.

"You stay quiet, boy," a voice hissed harshly. Jamie froze. _Dad_, he thought to himself. He was turned around so that they were facing. Then, he was pinned against the wall.

"Where's your sister?" Charles demanded.

"You think I'd tell you that?" Jamie retorted. He let out a cry of pain as his father put pressure on his shoulder blade.

"You got your sister sick, you put her here. Now…where is she?" the man demanded again.

"Forget it," was the boy's answer.

"Wrong answer, kid," Charles told him, as he threw him against the wall. "Where is she?" he asked again.

"Cal!" Jamie yelled. He was thrown against the wall again.

"You shut your mouth, boy," his father snarled. Jamie panted nervously.

"Cal!" Jamie called again. Charles tightened his grip on Jamie.

"You better shut up, boy," he growled. "I'm gonna ask you one more time: where's Emily?" he questioned.

"Forget it. I'll never tell you," Jamie answered. The man reared back a hand and slapped him repeatedly.

"CAL!" the boy shouted. The sound of running footsteps reached their ears.

"I'll be back for you, boy," he warned, then threw him to the floor and took off. Kal and the squad entered the room soon after.

"Jamie, what happened?" Val asked, helping him up.

"He--he was here. He was looking for Emily," Jamie answered.

"I'll call the station. Have them put an APB out on him," Cal said, and then pulled out a cell phone and did so. Jamie painfully rushed to the room where Emily was, as the squad remained in the doorway. To his surprise, she was still awake.

"Hey, kiddo. What are you doing up?" he questioned.

"I heard some noises. They were scary," she answered.

"It was nothing. Just a little misunderstanding," he assured her, carefully sitting on the bed.

"Why are you moving funny?" Emily wondered.

"I slept funny," Jamie told her. He hated lying to her, but he couldn't tell her what had happened. She didn't even know about their father. "Um, why don't you get back to sleep, kiddo?" he suggested.

"Will you tell me a story?" Emily requested.

"What kind of story?" Jamie asked.

"About the Queen," Emily said.

"The Queen? All right," Jamie agreed. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Queen who married a King. Soon after, they had a son, a Prince. They were very happy, but the Queen wanted another child, a daughter--" he began.

"A Princess!" Emily interrupted.

"Yeah, a Princess," Jamie smiled. "Well, the King and Queen tried very hard, until the Queen got her wish. Unfortunately she died soon after, and the Prince had to take over because the King wasn't well. And the Prince loved the Princess very much, and they lived together happily ever after in a small, but comfortable castle," he told her. The others looked at each other. Even if Emily hadn't understood the underlining meaning, they **had**. Something had happened between Jamie and his father that had caused him to take Emily and leave their father.

"But what about the King? What do you mean, he wasn't well?" Emily wondered. The squad looked at each other. How would Jamie explain this?

"Well, the King was very sad after the Queen died, and he handled it badly, treating the Prince badly," Jamie told her.

"He sounds mean. I hope the King got what he deserved," Emily stated.

"He did, Kiddo. The Prince got the King expelled from the kingdom, and that's why they lived in a small castle instead of a large one," Jamie answered. Then, "You've had your story. Now go to sleep." Emily hunkered down into her bed. He smoothed back her hair.

"Hey, you feel a lot cooler here, kiddo. I guess your fever's broken," he said in relief. Cal came up behind him

"Why don't you get some sleep yourself?" he suggested, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I--I don't want to leave her. What if Dad comes back? He'll take her for sure," Jamie stated.

"I'll talk to the head doctor. I'm sure they'll let you stay here," Cal said.

"Thanks," Jamie answered. Cal walked over to the group.

"What else are you going to do?" Alex wondered.

"I'm going to give the hospital staff a description of Charles Waite. I'm sure they've seen him, but I'll tell them that he's not allowed to be back in," Cal answered.

"Hey, look. Jamie's totally out," Val noted. The others looked to see the boy fast asleep.

"Can you blame him? He's had quite a morning," Catie commented.

"Oh, us too. I need some sleep myself," Val stated.

"Yeah, I **so** do not wanna be called tomorrow," Hank declared with a yawn.

"I hear that," Tyler agreed.

"You guys go on home and get some sleep. There's nothing more you can do," Alex instructed.

"Thanks. We'll be back to visit them later," Catie promised. With that, they all walked out. When the kids got to their respective homes, they went to their beds and fell fast asleep. Meanwhile, Jamie's sleep had become labored. _Jamie was back in his old house, trying to find a place._

_"JAMIE! DON'T YOU MAKE ME SEARCH FOR YOU, BOY!" his father_ _bellowed. Jamie panted and ducked into a closet. __** Please, please, please, please, please**__, he thought frantically. The door opened to reveal his father._

_"I told you not make me search for you," the man snarled, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him_ _close. With a gasp, Jamie jerked awake._

_"A dream. It was just a dream," he said in relief. The door burst open! Jamie gasped and stood in front of Emily protectively._

_"You're not getting her," he said._

_"Did you __**really**__ think you could keep her from me?" the man demanded. He grabbed him and threw him against the wall. "I'm gonna make you pay for disobeying me, boy," he_ _threatened. He raised back a hand._

_"NO!" Jamie shouted._

"Jamie, it's just a nightmare!" he heard Cal shout.

"No, please!" Jamie cried, jerking awake. He panted, and looked around, noticing that he had fallen onto the ground.

"Jamie. You're okay. It was just a bad dream," Alex told him. Cal held the boy in his arms.

"He's not getting Emily. I'll **die** before that happens," Jamie choked out. Cal held shushed Jamie and held him close. Alex stared in shock. What was going on? He had never seen Jamie like this. Jamie clung to Cal and began to sob.


	8. Hospital Stay

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Nikki (Random Insights) (Ch 6): Yeah, glad you think so. Thanks.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney and anything else affiliated with the show.

Several minutes later, Jamie pulled away and wiped his eyes with his hand.

"I'm hungry. I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat," he said brusquely.

"Here's some money," Cal stated, handing him a five-dollar bill. The boy took off. The men looked at Emily, who was still fast asleep.

"Man, I'll never understand how that kid can sleep through anything," Cal chuckled.

"That was weird. I've never seen Jamie like that," Alex commented.

"Yeah, well, I can't blame him. His father really did a number on him. He was messed up for a while," Cal told him.

"What do you mean, 'messed up'?" Alex wondered.

"That's not my story to tell. It's Jamie's. And it has to be **his** decision to tell you," Cal responded. Jamie went to the vendor, quickly picked out some candy, put the money in, made the selections, and when they came out, picked them up and hurried back to Emily's room.

"That was quick," Alex noted.

"Didn't want to be away from Emily too long," Jamie stated.

"I can tell you're really dedicated to her," Alex said.

"It's my responsibility to take care of her. Dad wasn't fit," Jamie commented softly.

"What exactly happened, Jamie?" Alex wondered.

"Mom died, it hit him hard, and I paid the price," Jamie answered.

"Come on, Jamie. There's gotta be more to it than that," Alex prodded.

"Don't--don't press him," Cal warned.

"Look, things went bad, I did what I had to do…let's just leave it at that," Jamie told him.

"Fine…for now. But sooner or later, you know we'll have to talk about this," Alex told him.

"Talk about what? As long as Emily's okay, there's no problem," Jamie declared. Then, "Can--can I be alone with Emily for a while?"

"Yeah, of course," Cal agreed.

"But, uh--stick close?" Jamie requested.

"You got it, man," Cal promised. With that, they left, and Jamie sat in a chair and looked at his sister. He blew out a breath. He couldn't believe he had lost it like that. Why had he been so weak? Emily's chest rose up and down in time with her breathing and he smiled softly. She meant the world to him. He'd do anything to keep her safe. Heck, he **had** done anything to keep her safe. After years of suffering at the hands of his father, he finally gotten up the courage to tell the authorities what had been happening. The creak of the door startled the boy out of his reverie.

"Sorry," the nurse apologized in a whisper.

"It's all right," Jamie told her. The woman walked over to the girl. "The last time I felt her forehead, it seemed like the fever had gone down. But, of course, you have more experience," he said. The nurse smiled and took the girl's temperature. After a few minutes, the thermometer beeped.

"You're right. It's gone down," she confirmed. "If she keeps this up, she'll be able to go home pretty soon," she stated.

"Have you figured it out what it was?" Jamie questioned.

"It looks like it was just one of those things," the nurse replied.

"Pretty scary," Jamie said.

"I can imagine. I've got a younger sister myself," the nurse told him. Jamie watched as the woman went about her duties, struggling to stay awake. Finally, Cal came back in.

"Jamie, get some sleep. I'll watch her," he said.

"But--" Jamie started to protest.

"Jamie," Cal interrupted, giving him a stern look.

"Okay," Jamie agreed. He yawned, and then closed his eyes. The officer looked at the sleeping kids and smiled softly. He couldn't believe anyone would try to hurt them. They were such good kids…especially Jamie. The man sat in the chair and watched the kids as they slept.


	9. Story And BreakIn

SHOUT OUT/ANSWERS

Katy: Thanks, mine too. Thanks. No prob. I will.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney and anything else affiliated with the show. I use a line "That's when I woke up" from the Walker, Texas Ranger episode "99th Ranger".

One day later, Emily was released and sent home, which took some worry away, but his father was still out and about, which made him nervous. His pager beeped. He headed out, stopping long enough to call Cal and ask him if he could watch Emily, and then headed out.

"Hey, Jamie," Hank greeted. "You sure you can work?" he queried.

"I'm focused," Jamie promised.

"Okay," Hank said. They hurried to the scene, which was a local diner.

"What've we got?" Hank asked when they got there.

"Don't tell me it's another case of indigestion," Jamie griped.

"No. Collapse," Val answered.

"Heart attack?" Jamie questioned.

"Looks like," Tyler responded. Then, "Are you sure you're gonna be all right, Val?"

"Yeah, you can sit this one out," Jamie added.

"I'll be fine, guys," Val assured. Then, she read off the stats, and the others went to work. After the man was stabilized, paramedics came and rushed him to the hospital. Afterwards, they went back to the station. As he filled out the paperwork, Jamie's mind wandered. His dad **really** wanted Emily; he had seen it in his eyes. He couldn't let it happen. He just couldn't.

"Jamie?" a voice questioned.

"Yes, Sir?" Jamie asked out of reflex. Then, "I--I mean. Yeah, what do you want?" Alex let out a soft laugh.

"Relax. It's just me," he assured.

"Sorry. It's just--this whole thing--it's brought up so many bad memories," Jamie apologized.

"I can't even imagine," Alex said. "Do you want to talk about it?" he offered. Jamie sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I--I wouldn't even know where to began," he admitted.

"When did it first start?" Alex asked.

"Mom died a little after Emily was born. I was eight," Jamie said. "You have to understand--it hit him hard. He really loved her--not that it makes what he did right," he continued.

"You had a big job, taking care of your sister," Alex stated.

"I tried to make things easier, keep the house clean, take care of Emily--but I--I couldn't do things right. Either I would forget to pick something up, miss a spot of dust, or I wouldn't cook something right. **Nothing** I did ever made him happy!" Jamie cried, jumping up. "I--I honestly tried…I did!" he insisted.

"Jamie, you were just a kid. You did what you could," Alex told him.

"Yeah, I know. But it was hard. In his eyes, I couldn't do anything right and I guess he gave he gave me the punishment he thought I deserved," Jamie stated.

"So, what changed?" Alex questioned.

"One day when I was twelve, he started to go after Emily. That's when I woke up," Jamie answered. "Called the cops and they came and got us out. That's how I met Cal," he said.

"And he helped you get away from your father," Alex surmised.

"Yeah. For--for a while, he was our guardian. But last year after I had my fifteenth birthday, I applied for emancipation, and after the courts made sure I knew all the responsibility, and that I could hold down a job, it was granted," Jamie stated.

"But you got arrested for stealing," Alex reminded.

"Why do you think I chose community service here? It was stupid and I could've lost custody of Emily," Jamie replied. "And if she had to go into the system…" his voice trailed off.

"Well, if you need anything, I'm here for you. You know that, right?" Alex queried.

"Yeah, I know," Jamie nodded. Then, "I, uh--I **really** should get back to my report."

"Okay," Alex agreed. Jamie went back to work and Alex went back to his office. After he was done, Jamie called his house.

"Hey, Jamie," Cal answered.

"Hey, Cal. How is she doing?" Jamie wondered.

"She's doing good. She still has her appetite," Cal told him. Jamie laughed.

"That's good. I have to admit, I was worried," he said.

"I don't blame you, kiddo," the officer said. Jamie was about to say more, when the station's alarm blared.

"Gotta go, man. Bye!" the boy said, and then dashed off. Brooke came out, saw the dangling phone, and hung it up with a small laugh.

"Jamie," she said. The squad had five more calls before their shift was over. Hank and Val and Brooke went to their homes, while Tyler met his mother and stepfather at a local restaurant, and Jamie went to his own home.

"Jamie!" Emily shouted excitedly when she saw him. He cut the engine on his bike, unstrapped his helmet, and then knelt down so she could rush into his arms.

"Hey, Em," he greeted softly. "Everything go all right?" he questioned, standing up with his sister in his arms.

"Yeah, everything went fine," Cal assured. "She had a couple of apple slices for a snack…just to hold her over," he added.

"That's fine," Jamie told him. "Come on, Em, let's get you some dinner," he continued. She laughed as he took her into the kitchen. Cal watched them for a few minutes, and then headed back to his own house. Jamie fixed some macaroni and cheese along with some pork. When it was done, he set the table, and they sat down. As she ate, Emily watched Jamie. He seemed so tense lately. He and Cal tried to pretend everything was okay, but she could tell it wasn't…especially after the way Jamie had yelled at Miss Akron earlier that week. Presently, Jamie noticed Emily staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" she wondered.

"Yeah, everything's fine, kiddo," he said with a small smile. Emily wasn't convinced, but let it drop. She finished her dinner, and put her dishes in the sink. Jamie watched her with a soft smile. Man, he was so lucky to have her. He wouldn't give her up for anything. Then, she went to her room to play. After finishing his own dinner shortly after, Jamie hurriedly did the dishes. A couple of hours later, Emily had been given her bath and had been put to bed. Sometime in the middle of the night, Emily woke up. She wrinkled her nose. She had to go to bathroom. Should she wake up Jamie? She shook her head. She was a big girl. She could go to the bathroom by herself. She got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. What she nor her sleeping brother knew; was that a man had quietly driven up to their house and had parked in their driveway. He got out of the car and crept up to the door. After finding it locked, he jimmied it, and crept in. Emily had just finished and was getting ready to go back to bed when she heard a footstep. She froze. _What was that?_ she wondered. The footstep came again.

"Jamie?" she asked, peeking out from the bathroom door. Walking down the hall in long strides was a large man. She shrieked and the man rushed towards her.

"Come here," he growled, reaching into the bathroom. She shrieked again and ducked back into the bathroom, locking it and then hiding in the bathtub, behind the shower curtain. She heard a loud banging noise and whimpered. Hearing Emily's cry of fright, Jamie jerked awake and got out of bed.

"Hello?" he asked, walking into the hall. Someone turned around, and Jamie paled.

"Dad," he said.


	10. Final Fight

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Disney and everything else affiliated with it. I use a scene from the Walker, Texas Ranger ep "99th Ranger", but only cause it's perfect for the fic. I'm making up Jamie's home address.

"Jamie," Charles Waite smiled. Jamie turned towards the kitchen. "Oh, no you don't, boy," he snarled, running and tackling him. Jamie grunted and began crawling in the direction of the kitchen.

"Hold still, you little brat," Charles snarled.

"Emily. Where's Emily?" Jamie asked. The man laughed derisively.

"You're worried about **her**? Don't be. I took care of her," he stated. Jamie froze.

"No," he said fearfully. _He--he wouldn't. Please, please, no_, he thought to himself.

"And you're gonna join her," Charles told him. Jamie began to struggle again, and managed to throw the man off of him and continued for the kitchen.

"JAMIE! DON'T YOU MAKE ME CHASE YOU!" Charles yelled. He quickened his pace and quickly caught up with him, pinning him against the wall. Jamie's face twisted in pain.

"I told you not to make me chase you," he whispered in his son's ear. Then, he threw the boy across the room. In one of the neighboring houses, a woman was on the phone with the police. Cal was asleep in his bed, when the phone rang. He muttered intelligibly and fumbled around for the phone.

"Hello?" he mumbled.

"Cal, this is Marissa Fairbanks. I got a call about a disturbance at one-eighteen Providence Lane," the woman on the other end of the line reported.

"I'll be right there," Cal said, instantly awake. He hung up, grabbed his gun, and got into his car. He turned the siren on and sped down the street. As he did so, he activated his intercom.

"This is Officer Cal Richardson requesting back up at one-eighteen Providence Way. I don't have any proof, but I have reason to believe that the disturbance is being caused by a man known as Charles, Waite, father of Jamie Waite," Cal stated.

"Is he armed?" dispatch questioned.

"Unknown, but he's known to be **extremely** violent," Cal answered.

"Back up's on the way," dispatch promised. Back at his house, Jamie was struggling against his father.

"Stop fighting me. You know you'll never win," the man snarled. Jamie just kept fighting. He'd probably die, but he wasn't going to be submissive about it. He cried out in pain as he was hit in the ribs.

"You're gonna wish you had never disobeyed me, Jamison," Charles threatened. Jamie grunted and tried to break free, to no avail. The man put his hands around the boy's throat. Jamie gagged and his vision swam. _Ohhh. I'm sorry, Emily. I'm so sorry, kiddo_, he thought to himself. All of a sudden, he could breathe again.

"Charles Waite, you're under for attempted murder," Jamie faintly heard an officer say. There was a click and receding footsteps. Jamie gulped in the fresh air and was carefully helped up.

"Are you okay?" a familiar voice questioned.

"Emily, Emily," Jamie said urgently. "Oh, man! He killed Emily!" he gasped.

"Jamie?" a voice asked. With a shuddering gasp, he turned around. Emily was being carried by an officer.

"Emily!" he said in relief, running to them.

"I found her hiding in the bathroom," the officer told him.

"Jamie, that man tried to hurt me," Emily reported as he took her into his arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Jamie said hurriedly. Emily buried her face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, kiddo. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." The next morning, Jamie and Emily came down to the station.

"What are you guys doing here?" Cal asked.

"You need my statement?" Jamie wondered.

"No. Part of the agreement for his parole was that he wasn't supposed to have any contact with you and Emily. It's a lesser charge than attempted murder, but we won't let him walk," Cal told him. Jamie nodded and held Emily close.

"So I'm guessing his petition's out," he said. Emily looked at them in confusion. What were they talking about?

"Yeah. After last night, there's no way he'd ever get custody of you," Cal assured.

"Thank goodness," Jamie sighed in relief.

"Jamie, what are you guys talking about?" Emily questioned.

"You remember those stories about the king and queen?" Jamie reminded. She nodded, not understanding. Then, she understood.

"That man last night--he was the king?" she questioned. He nodded.

"I didn't like him," she said.

"Well, you don't have to worry about him anymore," Jamie assured her.

"Because you'll always protect me?" Emily asked.

"Forever," Jamie promised, holding her even close. Emily leaned into him. She was **so** glad she had her big brother. Things would be okay. She never had to worry because Jamie would always be there to protect her.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE

If you or someone you know is being physically abused, call 1-800-4-A-CHILD (2-24453).


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